Review of Activ8me broadband plans

An Australian provider which specialises in satellite broadband, Activ8me has been providing internet connections to Australians across the country since 2008. Whilst it is the largest provider of NBN satellite services, Activ8me also offers a comprehensive range of fixed broadband plans on both NBN and ADSL connections.

With both standalone and bundled plans on offer, we’ve reviewed Activ8me’s broadband plan offerings so you can see if one of them suits your needs.

What does Activ8me offer?

NBN broadband plans

Activ8me’s big selling point is its NBN services. The company provides big data allowances and affordable prices, with all of its plans available on your choice of a month to month or 12 month contract. In addition to your choice of data allowance, you can also pick your tier of upload and download speeds.

Opting for a monthly contract will require a $99 setup fee, but if you subscribe for 12 months, this fee is reduced to $49.95. You can also purchase a Wi-Fi router for $99 ($44.95 on contract) or choose to bring your own. Finally, you can add a VoIP internet phone service to your plan, with three different calling packs to choose from. The full details of Activ8me’s plans are below:

Data options

Plan

50GB

250GB

500GB

Unlimited

Cost per month

$39.95

$49.95

$54.95

$59.95

Speed options

12/1 Mbps

25/5 Mbps

50/20 Mbps

100/40 Mbps

Included

+$10/month

+$20/month

+$30/month

Home phone options

Package

Basic Call Pack

National Call Pack

Mobile Call Pack

Cost per month

$5/month

$10/month

$20/month

Inclusions

PAYG calls

Local & national calls

Local, national & mobile calls

ADSL broadband plans

For those who don’t yet have NBN access, Activ8me offers plenty of ADSL broadband plans to keep you interested. There are three standalone plans to choose from, as well as three different contract terms. Whilst the entry-level pricing for metro customers is very reasonable, regional and rural customers will have to pay an extra $40 per month due to infrastructure costs. The standalone ADSL plans are summarised below:

Plan

Value Pack

Family Pack

Unlimited Pack

Cost per month

$39.95

$44.95

$59.95

Data

100GB

250GB

Unlimited

Contract options

Monthly ($159 setup fee)

12 months ($99 setup fee)

24 months (No setup fee)

If you’re after a home phone bundle, Activ8me also has you covered. There are the same three data allowances and contract options as the plans above, and each data plan can be selected in tandem with one of three call packs which give you increasing allowances. The pricing of each plan is as follows:

PAYG

Local & national calls

Local, national & mobile calls

100GB Plan

$59.95

$69.95

$79.95

250GB Plan

$69.95

$79.95

$89.95

Unlimited Plan

$79.95

$89.95

$99.95

How does Activ8me compare to other broadband providers?

Activ8me offers some of the cheapest basic NBN plans in Australia. The 50GB standard plan costs just $39.95 on a no-contract basis, which is virtually tied with similar plans from SpinTel and Exetel – although Exetel offers 100GB with no up-front fees. It’s the same story at the next plan level, with Activ8me offering 250GB at the same price as SpinTel and Exetel’s 500GB plans – although the latter two have higher up-front costs. That said, Activ8me’s 500GB plan is only $5 more per month, which makes it significantly better value when you compare setup fees. Check out a sample comparison below:

With prices starting at $59.95 for unlimited NBN broadband, Activ8me also has a seriously competitive foothold at the top end of the NBN market. Its pricing is equal to that of several other providers including Tellnet, Barefoot and TPG, whilst the cheapest plans in the segment are only $5 per month less. Factor in the broad choice of both internet speeds and phone packages, and Activ8me presents an impressive combination of value and flexibility.

When it comes to ADSL plans, Activ8me isn’t quite as competitive. At $59.95, its unlimited ADSL plan is beaten by several other providers with significantly cheaper plans. Its packaged deals are significantly better value, with the unlimited PAYG plan competing with bundles from iPrimus, Bendigo Bank Telco and several others. The lower end 100GB plan is also on par with the best of the competition, including SpinTel, Belong and MyNetFone.

Activ8me may be dedicated to satellite broadband plans, but its fixed-line services provide plenty of food for thought whether you’re after an NBN or ADSL internet service.

Please note that the pricing details in this report were correct at the time of publication. To ensure you see current prices, please refer to the provider’s website.